Some of you may not be aware that the state of Victoria in Australia is suffering its worst natural disaster ever. Wildfires are raging and have killed at least 160 people, many of them very near Melbourne. In addition to this, hundreds of homes have been lost.

I have sent personal messages to those members of the forum who either come from Melbourne, or from Australia but do not say from which city, asking if they are OK. So far I've not heard back from any of them, but it's only been a day, so they're probably busy going about their usual business. Or they have over-efficient spam filters. I hope. I'll report back when I get replies.

There's absolutely nothing we can do but hope for the best, so let's all do that shall we? Hopeful thoughts to everyone in Australia, and and deepest sympathy to those who have lost family or friends.

Yeah it's pretty terrible! I live in Melbourne city, not out in the country so I am fine (thank god). The Boy's family live in a charmed town where they have smoke visible on four sides, but haven't had any fire, so that's brilliant.

Worst thing about all this devastation and ~100 people dead? They think people deliberately lit these fires on a gusty day with temperatures of ~46 degrees celcius.

My heart goes out to all those poor people in the fire areas. It is just so awful.

We also have seasonal fires here in California, and even with correct landscaping, ie. no vegetation with in so many yards of the home, sometimes the fire storms get so bad and move so fast there's nothing to do but try to leave as quick as possible and pray. Fire storms make their own weather and even if the regular wind dies down, the storm will generate it's own wind.